[...]... one another and other charged chemicals because of the partial positive charges on the H atoms and negative charges on the O atoms 14 The Very Basics of Humans glass are attracted to the other water molecules beneath them and they “hold on” electrically, which keeps the too-full glass from overflowing, to a point Since atoms in a water molecule bear partial charges it only makes sense that they can... they would barely cover the distance across the period at the end of this sentence However, they do indeed exist even though you cannot see them with the naked eye All atoms have a similar blueprint to the image displayed in Figure 1.1 There are three principal particles called neutrons, protons, and electrons Because they are smaller than the atom that they come together to form, they are often called... nearby lamp The light bulb has a thin filament inside, which transforms the electrical energy running from the wall socket and through the cord to the filament in the bulb where it is converted into two other forms of energy—light and heat As the filament illuminates, there is a reduction in electrical energy and an increase in light and heat energies So energy is not lost but transformed to other forms... little bit closer to nutrition, food contains chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and alcohol Once inside our body the Figure 1.4 Here A and B are the initial reactants and G and H are the end products of the pathway 10 The Very Basics of Humans chemical energy of these substances can be transformed into mechanical energy to power muscular movement and other activities as well... the energy associated with the initial energy in the bonds of the reactants, then the reaction can proceed without a need for an input of outside energy In this situation, there is leftover energy On the other hand, if the energy that is required to form the bonds of a new molecule(s) is greater than the energy that will be released by disrupting the reacting molecule(s), then an outside energy source... as the scientific offspring of more basic sciences such as chemistry and biology Therefore, understanding the what’s, why’s, and how’s of nutrition will be a lot easier once a few basic areas of chemistry and biology are appreciated What follows are some fundamental principles of chemistry and biology and a description of their relevance to nutrition and the body It’s Atoms and Molecules That Make the. .. somewhat electrical And, partially charged water molecule atoms can then interact with other water molecules because of opposite charge attraction as displayed in Figure 1.8 This is the glue that holds water together This glue helps us understand how you can fill a glass up with water and briefly exceed the rim of the glass before the water begins to spill over The water molecules at the top of the Figure 1.8... reactants and products of chemical reactions is the same These would be the reversible reactions we discussed earlier, where one enzyme catalyzes the reaction in both directions Figure 1.5 Energy is released from a chemical reaction The bar graphs below the reactants and products show the energy in the bonds There is less energy in the products thus energy was released in this reaction The Very Basics... phosphate (PO43−), and bicarbonate (HCO3−) As demonstrated in Figure 2.2, all of these and other substances will be found in both the intracellular and extracellular fluids However, the concentration of substances dissolved in either fluid varies and the plasma membrane is bestowed with the awesome responsibility of functioning as a barrier between the two mediums How Our Body Works 21 Figure 2.2 The concentration... releasing) and those that require the input of energy (energy demanding) If a chemical reaction is said to be energy releasing, it means that more energy will be released in the disruption of the bonds of the reacting molecule than is needed to form the new bonds in the product molecule(s), as shown in Figure 1.5 Said differently, if the energy within the bonds of the products is less than the energy . w0 h0" alt="" The Nutritionist Now in an updated and expanded new edition, The Nutritionist: Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health, Second Edition, provides. informative and easy-to-read tables and charts, The Nutritionist: Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health, Second Edition, utilizes the findings of the latest